Creamy Carrot Soup

Before I begin, let me say that this meal is EASY...and fast...and cheap...and did I say EASY?  And I guarantee most of the ingredients are right there in your fridge or pantry.  Need I say more?  Besides that's it's utterly DE-lish.  The fresh ginger adds that special kick that sets it apart from most of my other throw-together-at-the-last-minute soups.  I've never met a man, woman, or child who didn't like this dish...and that's including my two year old who recently decided that he won't eat carrots.

That is, unless mom is sneaky enough to blend them into a soup.

Haha.  Moms are so smart.

Anyway, moving on.

Start by dicing the carrots.

(Note: I'm making a double batch here, intending to freeze the extra soup and pull it out for a mid-week dinner pinch...because I'm lazy like that.)

Start the butter a-meltin'.  Aren't they beautiful?  Don't skimp on butter.

Butter = delicious.

And again, keep in mind that I'm making a double batch here.

Dice the onions.

And now, introducing...

Fresh ginger.

If you've never cooked with it before, (or if you think it just looks plain weird) never fear.  It's super easy.  And PLEASE...please, please...for the love of all things good and yummy, DO NOT substitute with powdered, ground ginger.  Your soup will be crying if you do.  Seriously.  Take my word.  You can pick up this fresh ginger root in the produce aisle for about $0.40.  

Peel it with a veggie peeler and give the appropriate amount (about 1-inch of ginger root per batch) a rough chop.

Wrap up the remaining root in sturdy plastic wrap and freeze.  It'll freeze well for a month or two, during which time you can pull it out and cut off chunks as needed.

Throw the carrots, onion, and ginger in with the butter and cook until onions are translucent.

And meanwhile...while the veggies are all getting comfortable in the pot...

Ready the stock.

The recipe calls for vegetable stock, but I'm using chicken.  For the sake of rebellion.  And because going to the store again with a toddler sounded like death.

Ready the potatoes.

When the carrot-mix is ready, pour in the potatoes n' liquid.  Put the lid on and let simmer for 15 minutes.

In the meantime, kick your feet up and revel in the awesomeness of letting the stove do the cooking part for you.To check for done-ness, try crushing a piece of carrot with a fork.  If it crushes, it's ready, and you can proceed to...

 Blend the heck out of the thing.

This can be done in small batches in a blender, or...

An immersion blender.  If you don't have one, I would seriously consider buying one.  Sorry, I don't usually promote products in my posts, but if I could have a love affair with a kitchen appliance, (sorry, hubby) this would be IT.  Making blended soups, spaghetti sauce, pancake batter, popover batter (oooh, that is a WHOLE 'nother post) and a whole lot more SOOOO much easier.  For this recipe, you can blend the soup right in the pan without getting a steam-explosion facial.

And last, but not least, TAKE THE PAN OFF THE HEAT to add in the cream and season to taste with salt and pepper...and a dash of nutmeg, if you're feeling adventurous.  (Note: Never, ever let the cream boil.  It'll curdle it.  Blegh.)

Again, DO NOT substitute with half and half or milk.  That would be beyond scandalous.  The taste of real cream is absolutely essential.  If you want to cut back on fat, add a little less cream (I often do that).

If you need something to use the extra cream on (besides making this soup again), pour it over fresh berries or canned peaches with a sprinkle of powdered sugar.  Voila.  Instant dessert.

Serve with a crusty french or garlic bread.

Can I say, de-li-cious?

My husband could eat this stuff all week.

Enjoy, my friends.

RECIPE:  CREAMY CARROT SOUP

Makes:  About 5-6 servings

2 T butter

2 cups diced carrots

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 tsp (about 1-inch) diced ginger root

1/2 cup cubed potatoes

4 cups (or 2 cans) vegetable stock

1/2 cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in a small saucepan.  Sweat the carrots, onion, and ginger with the butter.  Add potatoes and broth, and then bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender.  

To blend, strain liquid into a separate container.  Put vegetables into a blender, and pour in just enough of the liquid to cover the vegetables.  Puree in stages if necessary.  Return vegetable puree and remaining broth to the pan.  (This can also be done in the pan with an immersion blender.)

Stir heavy cream into the pan with the vegetables.  Season with salt and pepper.  Heat but do not boil, and serve immediately.

-From the kitchen of Alyssa H., adapted from a recipe by Giada De Laurentiis

Fire Roasted Tomato Soup

Don't you just love some yummy soup during the cold weather months? I know I do!
This is a yummy recipe you will surely want to try!
I thought I had a picture on my camera, but it turns out I don't--sorry!

1 T butter or olive oil
1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cans (14.5 oz each) fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
2 T chopped fresh basil leaves
1 t sugar
1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 c whipping cream

In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly until onion is tender.

Stir in tomatoes, broth, 1 t of the basil, the sugar and pepper flakes. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and pour mixture into large heatproof bowl. Cool slightly (about 15 minutes).

In blender, place half of the mixture. Cover and blend until pureed. Return to saucepan. Repeat with remaining mixture. Heat over medium heat until hot. Remove from heat. Stir in cream and remaining 1 t basil.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup
2 Cans Chicken Stock (or 3 cups homemade chicken stock)
1 Can Mexican Tomatoes
1 Can or Pint of Tomatoes
1 Can Green Chilies
1 Can Corn
2 Cups Cooked Diced Chicken
1 Clove Garlic
Homemade Tortilla Strips

Chicken:

I cut up and boil 2 to 3 chicken breasts and to the water I add chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and paprika (I don't measure it, I just eyeball about a tablespoon of each).

Soup:

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot and let it heat through until warm.

Tortilla Strips:

Use a pizza cut to cut tortillas into strips. Heat a little oil in a pan and fry the strips until crunchy!

We always eat our our soup with sour cream and cheese on top as well!


From the kitchen of Megan

Two for One!

I have been on the hunt lately for new recipes for my family to expand our repertoire of dinner meals. This chili recipe (slightly adapted) comes from the Weight Watchers cookbook that I happened upon at a family member's house. Dieting or not, they have some really tasty meals! I have also included a recipe for sweet cornbread, which comes from a friend I met in college.

SPICY CHILI

Ingredients:

4 t. olive oil
2 onions, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped (optional)
3/4 lb ground beef
1 T chili powder
2 t ground cumin
1 t oregano
1/2 t ground coriander
1-14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1-16 oz. can pinto or red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1/4 chopped fresh cilantro

Garnishes to taste:
fresh cilantro, chopped
sour cream
chopped red onion


Directions:

1. Chop all the vegetables. This is easily the most intense part of this recipe.


2. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Saute the onions, carrot, celery, peppers, and garlic until the onions are translucent, about 15 minutes.

3. Add the beef and cook until no longer pink.

Note: To save money, I generally buy higher fat hamburger. I prefer to cook the meat separately so I can drain the excess fat before adding the beef to the vegetables. I'll add the meat when it is still slightly pink so it can absorb some of the flavor of the vegetables before being fully cooked.

4. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, oregano, and coriander. Cook for 1 minute longer to allow spices to soak in.

5. Add the tomatoes, beans, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cilantro.

6. Serve, topped with sour cream and red onion and additional cilantro if you like.


This chili freezes very well, just don't add the cilantro until you're ready to serve it.

SWEET CORNBREAD
sorry, no pictures!

Ingredients:

1 c corn meal
3 c flour
1 1/3 c sugar
2 T baking powder
1 t salt
2/3 c oil
6 T butter, melted
4 eggs
2 1/2 c milk

Directions: preheat oven to 350

1. Combine all wet ingredients.

2. Add dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.

3. Pour batter into a 9x13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 50 min. Alternately, you may cook this as muffins instead, baking for only 12-18 minutes. Makes approx. 3 dozen muffins.

from the kitchen of laura w.

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

These made-from-scratch noodles are very easy--and I promise, it doesn't take as long as you think! The rest of the soup can be whatever you want it to be. It's nothing fancy, but very filling.

Ingredients

Noodles:
see directions for amounts

eggs
flour

Soup:
suggestions only, modify as you wish

chicken
carrots
celery
onion
chicken bouillon or broth


Directions

Soup:

Cube the chicken and cook as desired (determine amount based on how much soup you want). If you boil the chicken, you can use the water as the soup base. If you fry the chicken, add bouillon to water to make the soup base.


Once you have the soup base heating up on the stove, chop up your vegetables. Put them into the water and bring them to a low boil while making the noodles.

Noodles:

For one serving, start with 2 eggs and one cup of flour. For each additional serving, add 1 egg and 1/2 cup of flour. For my family of four, I usually use 6 eggs and 3 cups of flour.

Mix the flour and eggs together. I find it best to use my hands. If the dough sticks to your fingers, add a little more flour until everything is the same consistency.


Roll the dough out until it is 1/8 of an inch thick. Use flour to keep the dough from sticking to the rolling pin. It's also helpful to flip the dough a few times (roll, turn it over, roll more, turn it over again, roll) so that it does not stick to the counter.


Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into noodles about 2 inches by 1/2 inch.


Pull the noodles apart, making sure to separate them all from each other.


Add the noodles and the cooked chicken to the boiling soup mixture. As soon as the soup boils again, you're done!


From the kitchen of Laura

Spinach and Artichoke Soup

Spinach and Artichoke Soup

From:Crackers & Co. Café in Mesa, AZ

¾ lbs. margarine

8 oz. diced onion

2 c. flour

2 qt. half and half

1 tsp. white pepper

3 tsp. Tabasco

3 oz. chicken base

1 ½ c. sour cream

1 c. parmesan cheese

Salt to taste

Milk as needed

½ lb. cooked diced spinach

½ of #10 can (about 2 ½ lbs.) diced artichoke hearts

1 TBSP balsamic vinegar

1 tsp. Sherry

In a 4 gallon pot melt margarine on low heat. Add diced onion-sauté for about 5 minutes. Add flour and cook an additional 5 minutes. Add half and half 1 qt. at a time and cook over low heat. Leave heat on low at all times.

Add spices and sour cream, add cheese, sherry, vinegar and cooked drained spinach and artichoke hearts. Stir soup will not burn or stick.

Add more regular milk if soup is too thick. Note this soup will thicken as it cooks, due to being started as Roux base first. Yields 2 ½ gallons

Enjoy!

-Delia

Minestrone Soup

1 lb. Italian sausage
1 can of garbanzo beans-DO NOT drain juice from beans
1 large onion

3 garlic cloves

1/2 cup of pasta shells
1 medium zucchini
2 large carrots
2 cans of Italian diced tomatoes (14 oz.)-Drain juice
1/4 lb. fresh green beans
2 celery ribs
6 cups of beef broth
1 tsp. dried oregano
3 cups shredded cabbage
1 medium leek (use white part)
3 tsp. of fresh parsley

Note: I used 1/2 can of kidney beans and 1/2 a can of garbanzo beans and I thought it was really good. Also fresh green beans taste a lot better than canned green beans!

Cook sausage. Cut veggies and combine sausage and all ingredients in a pan EXCEPT for noodles. Simmer until carrots are soft (not too soft) then add noodles and cook until noodles are done. When finished, garnish soup with Parmesan cheese if desired.
* Can use a crock pot if you want too. Let veggies and all ingredients cook on low all day then add noodles a little before dinner and turn up the heat!.*

From the Kitchen of Kelly

White Chili

1 large onion chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp olive oil
4 cups cooked chicken, chopped
3 cans white beans (Caneli's or Great Northern)
4 cups chicken broth
1 can diced green chiles
2 tsp cumin
3 Tbsp lime juice
chopped cilantro

Saute onions and garlic in olive oil until onions are clear. Then add all remaining ingredients. Cook on medium heat for about an hour.
Optional: Garnish with tortilla chips and cheese

From the Kitchen of Kelly

Black Bean Soup

This is...hands down...my favorite soup. Even my husband loves it and my kids, a picky four year old, and older baby will eat some.

This is from my favorite cookbook: The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook
but modified to fit how I cook it, plus pictures.

Serves 6 to 8
Prep time: 15 minutes, Total time: 50 minutes

1 TBSP vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped fine
1 jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded and minced
6 garlic cloves minced
2 tsp. chili powder
dash of cayenne pepper or "red ground pepper"
4 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
salt to taste
limes weges (opt - but I LOVE it with it so I wouldn't dream of leaving it out)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro (opt)

Heat oil in Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat until shimmering. Cook onion, jalapeno and garlic until softened, about 5 minutes.

Stir in chili powder and red pepper. Cook for about 1 minute.
Rinse beans. Add beans, broth, salt, and 1 1/2 cups of water to pot. Bring to simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
Blend three cups of soup in blender until smooth. Sorry for lack of picture. This part is a little tricky. The hot soup creates a lot of pressure in the blender and can make a mess. I have had this soup pop the lid off by sheer pressure build up even with me pushing down on the top. Unless you have a vitamix, be sure to adjust the lid to release the steam as you blend.
Add mixture back to the soup and add remaining 1/2 cup of water if necessary.
Off heat, season the soup with lime wedges and salt. You can also add cilantro, avocado, and sour cream.

Add some yummy cornbread or tortillas...I made squash cornbread casserole... and you have a light vegetarian meal.

We ended the night with a virgin pina colada shake also from this blog. Click here.

enjoy!